Shower back scrubber

ABSTRACT

A device attached to a shower wall and piped into the neck of a shower head provides the bather with a water fed brush that rotates while it oscillates vertically. The bather then need only shift positions laterally to cover the whole back. Other features incorporated in the device are a built in soap dispenser and a means for removing the brush from the oscillating mechanism. The bather may then use the water fed rotating brush on other areas of the body.

United States Patent 1 Wurn et al.

[ 1 Apr. 8, 1975 1. 1 SHOWER BACK SCRUBBER 211 App]. No.: 254,374

2 068 757 1/1937 Mishelle 15/21 E X 3,042,949 7/1962 Mosely 15/21 R 3.085269 4/1963 Greer 15/21 R Primary Eruminer-Edward L. Roberts Attorney, Agent or Firm-Price, Heneveld. Huizenga & Cooper [57] ABSTRACT A device attached to a shower wall and piped into the neck of a shower head provides the bather with a water fed brush that rotates while it oscillates vertically. The bather then need only shift positions later- 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures [52] U.S. Cl. 15/21 R; 128/56 [51] Int. Cl A46b 13/06 [58] Field of Search 15/21 R, 21 E, 24, 97; 128/56 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 398.731 2/1889 James 15/21 E 727.993 5/1903 Newport.... 992.905 5/1911 Robinson 15/21 E X /Z o T SHOWER BACK SCRUBBER This invention relates to bathing accessories, and more particularly to back scrubbers.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a device that causes a water fed brush to revolve while it moves up and down on a track. These movements are obtained by two turbines supplied by water connection behind the shower head. The water supply, controlled by a separate valve, passes through the first turbine to operate the vertical oscillation mechanism, then, through a flexible hose, to the second turbine to rotate the brush. The water then emerges at the brush surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type described that permits the bather to remove the brush from its carriage, while the brush continues to rotate and flush, and apply it to other areas of the body.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type described that incorporates a manually operated soap dispenser at the brush.

A further object of this invention is to provide a back scrubber according to the invention that is easy, safe and reliable to use, relatively low in cost and expense.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view taken on line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the mangle drive that oscillates the brush.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the plane 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the figures, the device comprises a supporting frame 11 on which are attached an oscillation mechanism 12 and a brush assembly 13.

Frame 11 attached to the shower wall at its extremities, such as bracket 14 seen at the lower end, carries slidably mechanism 12 and brush assembly 13. Mechanism 12, once adjusted for the height of the bather is retained by a finger operated set screw 15. Assembly 13 slides freely up or down in response to the movement of a connecting cable 16 in mechanism 12.

Mechanism 12 comprises a water turbine 17 in a housing 18 having water connections 19, 20, and a mangle drive 21. Turbine 17 mounts a drive gear 22 and a mangle cam follower 23. Gear 22 engages ring teeth 24 while follower 23 engages a mangle cam 25. The plate 26 carrying teeth 24 and cam 25 is linked to the mechanism housing 33 by a pivoting bar 27. Thus when follower 23 makes the U-turns 28, 29, plate 26 oscillates between the limits indicated by the arrow 30 as well as oscillating rotatively almost one revolution. A groove 31 on plate 26 carries cable 16 fixed at a pin 32. It now becomes evident that a water supply to turbine 17 will cause cable 16 to oscillate in and out of housing 33. Cable 16 is guided towards brush assembly 13 by an idler 34.

Brush assembly 13 comprises a sliding carriage 35 having a pair of outwardly extending ears 35'. A pair of upwardly opening slots 37 are formed in ears 35. Brush unit 36 is removably received in slots 37. Brush unit 36 contains a turbine in housing 38 connected to a brush 39. Water leaving turbine housing 38 passes through openings. in brush 39. Cable 16 is attached to carriage 35 at a pin 40.

The water drive connections show a valve 41 connected at shower head 42. From valve 41 a hose 43 connects water inlet 19. A hose 44 connected to water outlet 20 extends to housing 38. At this final connection housing 38 extends to a handle 45 for use by the bather when wishing to scrub other areas of the body. When used in this manner brush 36 and the housing 38 connected thereto are simply lifted by handle 45 out of slots 37.

Finally, a button operated soap dispenser 46 introduces liquid soap at will into housing 38.

What I now claim is:

l. A bathers back scrubbing device comprising:

an elongated support frame adapted for generally vertical mounting;

a cylindrical brush;

a brush holder mounted for sliding vertical movement along said support frame; said brush being mounted for rotary movement in said holder;

first water turbine means operatively connected to said brush for rotating same;

means for vertically shifting said brush holder along said support frame, said shifting means including oscillatory drive means operatively connected to said brush holder for oscillating said holder vertically along said support frame and second water trubine means for driving said oscillatory drive means; and

means on said first and said second water turbine means adapted for connection to a source of water under pressure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 and further including means on said holder removably retaining said brush whereby said brush may be removed from said holder.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said oscillatory drive means further comprises a first member mounting on said second water turbine means with respect to said support frame; a second member mounted for pivotal and rotational movement on said first member, said second turbine means including gear means and cam follower means rotatable thereby; said second member having means thereon engageable with said gear means for rotation thereby and a cam track adapted for cooperative operation with said follower whereby rotation of said second turbine urges said second member to rotate and trace a path along said cam track.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 and further including cable means connecting said second member to said brush holder, said second member having a peripheral groove formed therein, said cable being at least partially wrapped around said] second member in said groove and connected at one end to said second member, the other end of said cable extending to said brush holder whereby rotation of said second member extends and retracts said cable member to oscillate said brush holder along said support frame.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said brush holder is movable through a predetermined distance between first and second positions from a midpoint with rotation of said second member, said first member being mounted for vertical movement along said frame to vary the location of said midpoint and further including means for adjustably fixing said first member on said frame. 

1. A bather''s back scrubbing device comprising: an elongated support frame adapted for generally vertical mounting; a cylindrical brush; a brush holder mounted for sliding vertical movement along said support frame; said brush being mounted for rotary movement in said holder; first water turbine means operatively connected to said brush for rotating same; means for vertically shifting said brush holder along said support frame, said shifting means including oscillatory drive means operatively connected to said brush holder for oscillating said holder vertically along said support frame and second water trubine means for driving said oscillatory drive means; and means on said first and said second water turbine means adapted for connection to a source of water under pressure.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 and further including means on said holder removably retaining said brush whereby said brush may be removed from said holder.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said oscillatory drive means further comprises a first member mounting on said second water turbine means with respect to said support frame; a second member mounted for pivotal and rotational movement on said first member, said second turbine means including gear means and cam follower means rotatable thereby; said second member having means thereon engageable with said gear means for rotation thereby and a cam track adapted for cooperative operation with said follower whereby rotation of said second turbine urges said second member to rotate and trace a path along said cam track.
 4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 and further including cable means connecting said second member to said brush holder, said second member having a peripheral groove formed therein, said cable being at least partially wrapped around said second member in said groove and connected at one end to said second member, the other end of said cable extending to said brush holder whereby rotation of said second member extends and retracts said cable member to oscillate said brush holder along said support frame.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said brush holder is movable through a predetermined distance between first and second positions from a midpoint with rotation of said second member, said first member being mounted for vertical movement along said frame to vary the location of said midpoint and further including means for adjustably fixing said first member on said frame. 